Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West - Visit my main website at www.peterblack.wales

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Decision day?

It has been a long journey and it may not yet be over. However there is the possibility of closure this morning as the Plaid Cymru group meet to choose between two programmes for government.

It is unlikely to be policy that decides it. Plaid will be making a political decision on whether to lead a government and break Labour's historic hegemony or to be part of a potential realignment of the nationalist left, as Adam Price would have it. Both programmes have problems with deliverability and no doubt that will influence Plaid AMs in their choice as well.

The Labour group approved the coalition yesterday and were quickly joined by the Wales Laboour Party Executive in their affirmation. Talk in the tearooms suggested that five Labour AMs voted against and there was even a suggestion that these dissidents were summoned to the headmasters office to explain themselves. Rumours also abound that the Labour group imposed some conditions to their approval and that this led to some very long Plaid faces around the Assembly offices. We shall see.

All the media are predicting a knife-edge vote and that certainly backs up my instincts. On the assumption that even the merest slight might influence the outcome the Western Mail carries news of a leaked pre-election Labour strategy document in which Plaid Cymru are described as 'a shambles which could not run a cockle stall, let alone a country.' The document sets out the strategy that Labour used during the Assembly election, which in itself could hardly be termed a success. It is unlikely to have much impact on Plaid's decision today.

Radio Wales has just reported that they believe that eight of the 15 strong Plaid group back a coalition with Labour. They have also speculated that Ieuan Wyn Jones will see the way the tide is flowing and jump aboard that particular ship so as to avoid a damaging split in his group. How many more twists and turns can be left in this saga?

Will Ieuan Wyn Jones take the post of First Minister by leading the Labour party up the garden path until tomorrow, only to slam the front door in their face and form an alliance with the others at the earliest opportunity? Or will he cook-up a Red-Green tomato coalition with Labour and possibly demonstrate that they are made up of those that 'Can't Govern' (on their own) and those that 'Won't Govern' (lacking the nerve).

Looks like Adam Price was writing to save his job if Brown calls a snap election. His constituents are strongly socialist and might not be happy with Plaid too close to the Tories. Yet he isn't even an AM, he should NOT be trying to influence what goes on in Wales.

If this Lab/Plaid comes off Adam deserves to lose his seat next time for his neat little spin.

DISCLAIMER

The views on this website are personal and should not be assumed to reflect the policy of the Welsh Liberal Democrats or the Liberal Democrats. I do not accept any responsibility for the content of any websites linked from this blog nor should such be implied by my linking to them. Links exist to provide a wider experience of politics and life on the internet or to reciprocate for links here. The views of those commenting on posts are those of them alone. They are published to provoke debate and their publication should not be takem as an endorsement by me.

Published and promoted by Peter Black AM, 110 Walter Road, Swansea, SA1 5QQ on behalf of himself

Hosted (printed) by Blogger.com (Google.inc) of 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.

This web-site is maintained wholly by Peter Black from non-Assembly resources.